LPGA Elite Can't Drive `Bridges' / Sorenstam leads by a stroke

Pat Sullivan, Chronicle Staff Writer

Published 4:00 am, Saturday, April 6, 1996

1996-04-06 04:00:00 PDT Lincoln, Placer County -- The inaugural Twelve Bridges LPGA Classic became The Thinking Women's golf classic yesterday. And after two times around the new layout northeast of Sacramento, four players with distinctly different golf games settled in at the top of the leader board.

Annika Sorenstam, the 25-year- old reigning U.S. Women's Open champion from Sweden, and Caroline Pierce, a 32-year-old from Sussex, England, with degrees in political science and history from Houston Baptist University, each shot 5-under-par 66s for 36-hole totals of 7-under 135 and 6-under 136, respectively. First-round leader Emilee Klein, whose putter was hot on Thursday, shot a par 71 and also is at 136.

"I didn't have the same kind of feel, I think because I'm taking some medication to make my nose not run," said the 21-year-old Klein, who left Arizona State after two years and is the second youngest player on the LPGA Tour.

Another stroke back at 137 is long-hitting Val Skinner, who shot a 68 with a governor on her long game. "We're still learning about this course, where to hit it," said Skinner, 35, whose six LPGA victories include the 1985 Konica at San Jose's Almaden Golf & Country Club. "And on this course you'd better pay attention."

Normally, Skinner launches her drives about 255 yards. Sorenstam averages 243 yards, Klein 233 and Pierce 223 with the big club. But Twelve Bridges' tight fairways are demanding accuracy, and to accomplish that Skinner used her 2-iron and 3-iron off most of the tees.

"Sometimes it's hard for me to suck it up and just hit it 200 -- it's like, 'C'mon, let's hit it,' " Skinner said. But the ability to let the throttle back is something the onetime Oklahoma State star has learned to do in 15 seasons as a professional.

Sorenstam, meanwhile, is using a 9-wood off the fairways and driving with a 7-wood (about 185 yards) at times to keep her ball in play. "Five-under, I think, is a good score on this golf course," said Sorenstam, who holed out a 9-iron from 135 yards for an eagle 2 at the par-4 3rd hole. "I'm adjusting to the course and finding out what clubs to hit."

Last week Sorenstam missed a short putt on the 72nd hole of the Dinah Shore to finish one stroke behind winner Patty Sheehan. "A little revenge would be nice," Sorenstam said.

Pierce sank five birdie putts ranging from eight to 20 feet in length. She's looking for her first tour victory, a tie for second in last year's JAL Big Apple Classic being her best finish in nine seasons.

With the temperature climbing into the mid-80s and Thursday's winds lacking, Twelve Bridges played like a barbecue grill in places, some shots doing as expected and others falling through the cracks.

"This course is so crazy -- it's so young," said the straw-hatted Michelle McGann, a two-time winner in 1995 who shot a 72 and is even par at 142 after 36 holes. "You can hit good shots and not come away with anything."

On some greens, approach shots held, she said. On others they rolled. "You get a little gun-shy. It's hard for a person who's used to playing aggressively to attack it."

McGann, 26, one of the tour's longest drivers, averaging 264 yards, said she hit only one driver yesterday. The rest of the time she went with her 5-wood and 3-iron off the tees. "I think if they moved some tees back . . . hey, let's hit some shots," she said.

NOTES: Amy Alcott, who owns 29 LPGA victories and needs one more for entry into the tour's Hall of Fame, withdrew after a 38 on the front nine. An LPGA spokesperson said Alcott aggravated a muscle-pull that occurred during Thursday's first round when she slashed at her ball in some thick rough. . . . Becky Iverson, who was three strokes off the lead after the opening round, shot a 79 yesterday, taking a 9 at the 17th hole after getting hung up in the thick rough. . . . Today's round will begin at 8 a.m., with the leaders starting shortly after noon.